Midland Counties Railway Company v Oswin; 12 Feb 1844

References: [1844] EngR 251, (1844) 1 Coll 74, (1844) 63 ER 327
Links: Commonlii
A railway company having, under their Act of Parliament, power to contract with incapacitated persons for the purchase of lands, and a right, upon payment of the purchase-money into the bank, to the fee-simple of the purchased lands, contracted with an incapacitated person, who died before the purchase-money was paid. Held, that the title of the company could not be completed without the assistance of a Court of Equity.
A bequest of ”money, goods, chattels, estates and effects’ held to pass real estate.
In the absence of special clauses for that purpose the effect of a Railway Act is not to alter the course of devolution of property without the consent of the owner ; and therefore if a company, by virtue of their Act, contract with an incapacitated person for the purchase of lands, the purchase-money is to be considered as real and not as personal estate.